Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-08-16
1hs weekly Intelngsncef
0l)e fancaSter J,telltqenfer.
LANCASTER, AUGUST Is. isn.


A correspondent calls attention to the
+ oonduct Of tho Pennsylvania railroad Off.
clals In charging moro for the passage to
Mt Gretna, during the encampment of
iaGt week, than to Lebanon, nine miles
further from Lancaster.
There Is no doubt about the fact, and
there IL every reason to censure the com.
pany for its unfairness; but there is no
opportunity afforded to bring it under the
discipline Of the interstate commerce
commissioners, who. have nothing to do
with the unjust exactions Of railroads
within the states their jurisdiction, Ike
that Of Congress, which created them, is
only over commerce between the states. 1t
d the province Of the state Of Pennsylvania
70 protect its citizens from unfair charges
BY its railroads but such protection is
sought in vain from the railroad. owned
legislature.
The Pennsylvania railroad yields obe-
dience to the interstate commerce law,
but wholly disregards its provisions in the
conduct of its business within the state.
Its rates to Lebanon and Mount Gretna
during the past week show how unfair and
mean It can be when it finds profit in
being 20 and has not the fear of the law to
check It. Its regular excursion fare to and
ffom Lebanon is e1.l5. Last week its ex-
cursion fare to Mt. Grstna was sl.40, and
Il had no excursion tickets to Lebanon to
sail; for the obvious reason that II it had
sold them it would have sold none to Mt.
Gretna at the greater price Of sl.4O. A
ticket to Lebanon good for ten days cost
IS cents; while the price of ticket, for an
unlimited time, is to Lebanon s1.aO and to
Mt. Gretna sl.OS. This is the only kind
eold to Mt. Gretna, which does not enjoy
TIE ten-day limited ticket,
Obviously all these lodges are resorted
70 because Of the competition with the op-
position railroad to Lebanon. The Penn
sylvania has to sell Lebanon tickets at the
-7Sape price, and introduces the Today limit
feature to cover it, charge Of q smaller
price for . ticket to Lebanon than to
nearer points where 1t has no competition
to meet. Clearly no one wants more than
ten days to get from Lancaster to Lebanon
and the ten.dsy limit is most transparent
subterfuge. 1t is safe to say that the com.
pany has not sold an unlimited ticket to
Lebanon since 1t started.
Tho unfortunate towns between here
and Lebanon, where the rival roads meet,
suffer the imposition of Q heavier mileage
charge simply because the railroad is able
to impose it. We might be in doubt
whether the Pennsylvania or the Cornwall
Il Lebanon railroad was responsible
for this unfairness, but for the fact
that it is strictly in harmony with
the conduct Of the passenger traffic man
agement Of the Pennsylvania railroad. 1t
has always been safe to look for measness
from it where there is a chance for it to
hop out, since it has been under the con-
troll Of Superintendent Wood whom we
do not know, save from his deeds, and they
often have strong flavor Of folly.
We should be sorry to think that Mr..
Coleman would be 80 foolish and mean as
to seek to rob the visitors to the great en-.
campment on his property by charging
them greater price by mile for carrying
them to and from it than the price which
has been established for the regular traffic
between Lebanon and the other end of his
road.
Mr.. Coleman has the repute Of being a
liberal and sensible man. No such man
could possibly have sanctioned the scale of
railroad charges made to Nj. Gretna dur
ing the encampment. Mr.. Coleman owes it
to his fair name that he should free it from
blame for this and other things connected
with the encampment: especially for the
Delay in sending the troops home and for
their starvation while awaiting shipment.
1t was wholly inexcusable that 5000 men
were not moved in eight hours, with the
resources Of two great railroads to call
upon.